Fall Gardening: What to Plant in Your Region Now

Fall gardening is rewarding in a way that can be hard to explain. You get to plant and harvest in cooler weather, which is always nice. But it’s more than that. The variety of things you can harvest that you weren’t able to during the heat of summer, the return of cool-season veggies such as spinach and lettuce — both of these are reason enough. But there’s also the sense that you’re getting the most from your garden, and that’s always a good feeling when you’re striving to eat as locally and sustainably as possible.

What to Plant Now in Your Region

Below, you’ll find recommended veggies to plant now, based on which region you live in. These are all vegetables that you can direct sow, and that will likely produce a harvest before winter weather sets in.

Vegetables to Sow Now: Northern Regions

Pacific Northwest:

Arugula

Bok Choy

Collard Greens

Lettuce

Mache

Mustard Greens

Radishes

Spinach

Central/Rocky Mountains

Arugula

Lettuce

Mache

Spinach

Midwest

Arugula

Collard Greens

Lettuce

Mache

Mustard Greens

Peas

Radishes

Spinach

Turnips

Northeast

Arugula

Carrots

Lettuce

Mache

Mustard Greens

Radishes

Spinach

Turnips

Vegetables to Sow Now: Southern Regions

Arugula

Beets

Bok Choy

Carrot

Collard Greens

Kale

Kohlrabi

Leeks

Lettuce

Mustard Greens

Parsnips

Peas

Radishes

Spinach

Swiss Chard

Turnips

Southeast

Beans

Beets

Collard Greens

Cucumbers

Kale

Kohlrabi

Lettuce

Mustard Greens

Peas

Radishes

Summer Squash

Turnips

These are general suggestions for veggies you can sow now for a fairly quick harvest (especially for those gardeners in northern areas.) In suggesting the above crops, I chose those that would be ready to harvest quickly and that grow well in cooler weather and shorter days. If you’re unsure about whether you have enough time to grow a particular variety, find your first frost date, then check your seed packet for the “days to maturity” or “days to harvest.” This will tell you if you can expect a harvest from that particular variety before your first fall frost.

So, if you’ve been thinking that it’s too late to put in a garden, rest assured there’s still time to grow plenty of fresh food before the gardening season ends.

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